


Me Vs the Highway

by hopelikefyre



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, Bonding, Cars, Family, Friendship, Modern AU, highways
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:00:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24074086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hopelikefyre/pseuds/hopelikefyre
Summary: Link faces a great decision but instead drowns the matter in beer with Daruk and Zelda. 'Cause who the fuck weighs the pros and cons of their various life paths with optimism?
Kudos: 6





	Me Vs the Highway

**Author's Note:**

> Because only Link could weave nostalgia into a year he absolutely despised.
> 
> Disclaimer: Legend of Zelda isn’t mine, but this fic is, so I’ve got that going for me, which is nice.
> 
> A/N: This is like a bad retelling of That 70’s Show. (Which I also don’t own.)
> 
> A/N 2: Urban AU. Which means cars…and highways.
> 
> A/N 3: “What?! Friendship?! Now, you’ve gone too far!” – Some Reviewer

“Come on, Link! Pass the bottle!”

Three friends sat in a small circle on the floor, sharing the last bottle of alcohol Daruk had in his fridge. Link took his gulp and passed the bottle to Zelda, who was only too eager to indulge herself. She’d been working double shifts at Telma’s for the past two weeks to cover for an ex co-worker, who had quit without notice. As a result of the job, Zelda was incredibly skilled at mixing drinks, which was much appreciated by her friends, but only when there were drinks to be mixed. Right now, Daruk was the only one in good enough a financial position to buy anything, but he had his limits. The days had not been good to the three, but they kept on, fighting tooth-and-nail to carve out a life worth living. As for the boys of the group, Daruk had taken a new job working nightly, as a security guard at a twenty-one-and-over shop in Akkala while Link had been busy working three jobs just to stay ahead of his bills. For Daruk and Zelda, the commute somewhat short, Daruk had his motorcycle and Zelda would carpool, but for Link, problems had escalated to the point he began taking his bicycle to work. Lately, he’d been having nightmares about dying in a car crash and, though he wasn’t quite so sure they had any meaning behind them, he decided it was best for his mental health to simply stay out of the driver’s seat.

As Daruk recounted one of his recent experiences at work, Link thought about the highway overpass he had to cross to reach Daruk’s apartment. Usually, the overpass had something romantic written on it, like “I’ll always love you, Anche”, or something to that effect; and it was always splashed across the concrete structure in large white letters. This particular day, however, the overpass bore a rather unique insult toward the town itself in red lettering. Link wasn’t sure what to make of the change, other than the obvious: Romanticism was dying, and it was dying quickly. The urban sprawl that the three had made their home had plants of all kinds littered about, often growing in cracks in the concrete or potholes in the asphalt. They served as a constant reminder that, one day, the entire city would return to the weeds.

Link could picture the highway in his head. He’d driven down it so many times, he could map it out with his eyes closed. The highway itself began to unwind in front of him and he found himself wondering about where he could go if he were to head home, pack up his car, and leave. As he envisioned the various exits that he could take to escape the suburbs, he also thought about everyone he’d be leaving behind; the four people that liked him enough to call themselves his friends. Zelda, Urbosa, Daruk, and Revali would all be heartbroken to hear about him leaving, but Link couldn’t help pondering how much better off they’d be without him. He was lost to his thoughts again, but Zelda’s voice drew him back to reality.

“At least girls that _you_ work with don’t get hit on every night!” Zelda exclaimed with a huff, pointing her finger at Daruk. “It’s the same thing, every time: Guys try to chat me up, I tell ‘em I have a girlfriend, and then they ask me if I’d like to spend a night with a ‘real man’,” She made an air quote over the last two words. “I know enough about myself to say I’m not _completely_ opposed to guys, but c’mon! I’m basically married for goddess’ sake!”

“Not to mention Urbosa would kick some serious ass if she knew anyone was hitting on you.” Daruk snickered, passing the bottle to Link.

Zelda blushed as she thought of her girlfriend “rescuing” her. Though she was loath to admit it, maybe it was the devil in her bloodstream that made her a damsel-in-distress. She certainly looked the part, with her golden-blonde hair and blue-green eyes. Besides, being a spectator to Urbosa’s fury definitely in Zelda’s top-five turn-ons.

“Anyway, Link! How’s work?” The Goron asked as he bit into a rock that resembled a loaf of bread.

“I’m really fed up with Sophie. I’m just not into fashion like she is.” Link sighed. “But I need the cash, so…”

“What’s the reason for three jobs anyway, buddy?” Daruk asked through a mouthful of rockloaf. “Hateno is just some crappy little suburb.”

“Rent.” Link named his heaviest burden. “And food. It’s ridiculous now! Prices have _skyrocketed_ thanks to all the businesses. I’ve been living off noodles for weeks!”

“Do you want some help? Urbosa and I could float you some cash.” Zelda offered, taking a swig from the bottle and handing it to Daruk.

“No, that’s okay.” Link pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'll make do."

He wanted to be candid with them, they were his friends after all, but Link elected to keep his feelings to himself. As far as he was concerned, his best years were behind him, and he was wasting his time in various dead-end jobs. He had gone to college like most of his friends, and he had chosen a major that had a decent amount of demand, but every place he applied to rejected him. It was extremely demoralizing to the Hylian and eventually, he gave up trying to find a job that suited him and took whatever he could find.

“Y'know, I remember being eighteen. I remember being young and careless.” Link began. “All those days I spent with Revali in his parents’ basement, just having the time of our lives.”

“When’s the last time you talked to Revali, anyway?” Zelda questioned. “I haven’t seen him around for a while.”

“He’s off working in Tabantha Heights now. Haven’t heard from him since last week." Link turned to the Goron. "You talk to him at all, Daruk?”

“Ha. Don’t make me laugh. Now that he’s got that hot-shot job, he doesn’t need me to bail him out anymore.” Daruk replied.

As the two conversed, Zelda pulled out a cigarette and lit it.

“Wonder what’s up with him. We’re _supposed_ to be friends.” Zelda blew a smoke ring at the ceiling. “Oh, mind if I smoke?”

“Put it out.” Daruk responded sternly. “It took me weeks to get the smell out last time.”

With a heavy sigh, Zelda extinguished her cigarette. One drag was definitely not enough to offset the tension building in her by talking about sad things.

It was Link’s turn to drink again. He swirled the pitiful amount of liquid left around in the bottle and handed it to Zelda.

“Here, Zel. I think you need this more than me.”

Zelda grabbed the bottle without so much as a ‘thank you’ and downed what was probably just backwash. She leaned back, setting the bottle on a side table behind her.

“So, now what do we do?”

“I guess we can call it a night.” Daruk glanced outside. The sun had peeked out from behind a cloud, bathing Hyrule in its majestic light. “Or day, I guess, unless you want to hang around here.”

“Hell, I’ll stay. I got nothing better to do.” Zelda turned to Link. “What about you? Wanna stay?”

The Hylian nodded. “I’ll probably sleep here tonight.”

Zelda bore into him with questions about his well-being, how he would get home the next day, and if he was planning on living out one of those dreams that he’d been having. The ones where his airbag light came on and his car collided into another, sending him through the windshield and into the void.

Link shrugged defeatedly, turning away from her as he did so. “You know, Zel, at this point,”

He paused, looking out the window for what felt like the fiftieth time that day.

“It’s me versus the highway.”

**Author's Note:**

> More sad shit. Cool. Next one's a Zelda/Urbosa fic. Thanks for sticking with me. Love y'all. -hope


End file.
